Sayram Lake

Sayram Lake, historically known as 'Pure Sea,' is located in the northern Tianshan Mountains within Bole City, Bortala Mongol Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China. It is adjacent to Huocheng County, Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture. Sayram Lake is the highest and largest alpine cold-water lake in Xinjiang. It is the final destination of the warm and humid air currents from the Atlantic Ocean, hence the saying 'the last tear of the Atlantic.' The name 'Sayram' is a phonetic translation from Kazakh, meaning 'blessing (for the safety of Silk Road travelers),' and there is also a Mongolian translation meaning 'lake on the ridge.' It is also known as Santai Haizi, named after the three platforms (Santai) on the eastern shore of the lake, which were established during the Qing Dynasty as the E'lezhuyitu Bomu military post. Address: G30 National Highway, Bole City, Bortala Mongol Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China